Congress remains mum on Tiwari

A day after the country was shocked by reports that dragged Andhra Pradesh Governor Narayan Dutt Tiwari's name into a sordid sex scandal, the Congress on Saturday refused to officially comment but party leaders privately said the octogenarian leader will have to go in case there was an iota of truth in the allegations.

A day after the country was shocked by reports that dragged Andhra Pradesh Governor Narayan Dutt Tiwari's name into a sordid sex scandal, the Congress on Saturday refused to officially comment but party leaders privately said the octogenarian leader will have to go in case there was an iota of truth in the allegations.

HT Image

"The matter is before the high court of Andhra Pradesh. The court has passed an order and the matter is sub judice. We should not comment on it," party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.

Congress leaders were more forthcoming in off-the-record conversation.

A senior leader said that Tiwari had a long innings in the Congress and people linked him to the party though he was now in a gubernatorial post. He said the governor would have to resign if perception of a wrongdoing persisted.

Another party leader said, not wishing to be identified, that a decision on Tiwari would depend on the stand taken by him. "If he comes out with a categorical denial and offers to undergo any probe, the situation will be different. But if he meekly surrenders, he will have to go."

The governor's office has rubbished the allegations.

Tiwari is a Congress veteran, has served as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and also held important cabinet posts in the central government, including that of foreign minister in the administration of prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.